(ARTICHOKE) HEARTS IN DISTRESS

In I Don't Know How She Does It, Allison Pearce's comic novel about an overextended working mother, the protagonist "distresses" a store bought mince pie to make it appear homemade. If you've been invited to a rooftop dinner or Riverside park picnic, I can think of no better item to "distress" than West Side Market's artichoke cheese spread (about $4/container).

Several months ago, West Side installed a sampling station for their dips and spreads, accompanied by a machine that puffs out rice cakes like something out of a children's book. There I found an artichoke cheese spread so thick with artichoke hearts you can't even spread it on the thin rice cakes-no playing "find the artichoke" as you must in most dishes featuring this prized item, and the hearts are slathered in an enticing, albeit lowbrow, mix of cheese and mayo. Buy two containers. Upend them into a pretty ceramic bowl. Rough up with a fork. Surround with sliced ovals of West Side's ciabatina loaf ($1.69). For picnic potlucks, slice ciabatinas in half lengthwise, fill with spread and cut in diagonal quarters. When people ask you for the recipe just smile mysteriously, and say "Thanks! It's actually an old family secret."

-Nancy J. Brandwein

Got a snack attack to share? Contact [NBrand@aol.com](mailto:NBrand@aol.com?subject=SNACK ATTACK)